AgencyforHealthcare Research and Quality, Diviision of Contracts Management, Executive Office Center, Suite 601, 2101 East Jefferson Street, Rockville, MD 20852

A -- SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATIVE RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM PHASE I SOL AHRQ-00-0006 POC Sherry Baldwin, 301 594-7190 The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)(formerly the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research) is soliciting proposals to conduct Phase I of the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Program for AHRQ. It is expected that multiple awards (approximately five -- seven (5-7)) will be made in support of this program. Organizations submitting proposals under the SBIR program must qualify as a small business concern in accordance with the definition provided in the solicitation. The Agency is seeking potential sources from qualified small business firms under the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code 7379 ($18 million) which have the capability to develop web-based applications and decision support tools to assist providers and patients in providing and choosing high quality care and promoting patient safety, develop information technology innovations to improve the quality, privacy, and confidentiality of data collected from providers and health care systems, and create effective linkages between various sources of health information to enhance the delivery and coordination of evidence-based health care services, promote the protection of individually identifiable patient information used in health services research and health care quality improvement. Suitable topics includes 1) development of software modules that train professionals in the use of electronic health records using a common medical vocabulary; 2) development of software that provides infrastructure for home monitoring of laboratory tests; 3) development of a set of standard quality measures, health status measures, or clinical performance measures that a health care providers' information system could produce; 4) development of computer and network software and hardware that allow sharing of patient medical records that patient wish to share; 5) development of a web-based service that helps practitioners and patients communicate more effectively and provide patients with more timely services; and 6) development of computer-based interactive software for teaching self-care and management of chronic conditions. Additional information related to these topics will be contained in the solicitation. The estimate issuance date of the RFP No. AHRQ-00-0006 will be fifteen (15) days from the issuance date of this synopsis, with proposals due approximately forty-five (45) calendar days from date of Request for Proposal issuance. Request for copies of the solicitation shall be forwarded to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Attention: Sherry Baldwin, Division of Contracts Management, Suite 601, 2101 East Jefferson Street, Rockville, Maryland 20852. Telephone requests will not be honored; all requests must be in writing. Faxed requests shall be sent to 301 443-7523. The solicitation will also be available for downloading from the AHRQ webpage at www.ahrq.gov when available. Posted 06/29/00 (W-SN470226). (0181)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0011 20000703\A-0011.SOL)